Google takes a new leaf with Android 6.0 Marshmallow to limit bloatware

Google seems to have taken steps to limit the bloatware through a new document that has been received by OEM's. Most users are unable to uninstall bloatware or Pre-installed apps that OEM's install in the phones. Through, a Marshmallow Compatibility Definition Document or CDD Google has informed OEMs or their rights and privileges. The CDD makes sure that users retain their privacy and rights in the Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

Ever since the inception of Android, Google has allowed its partner OEMs to customize and tweak the Android OS, with some limitations if they require access to the Google Play store. However, the company has been tightening the noose with every new version of Android. Yet, OEM's still have privilege of tweaking the OS at very critical junctures when working on Android Lollipop or below. Google is putting limitations and tightening the noose on OEM's with the CDD in its Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Apps developed for the 6.0 Marshmallow (API level 23) will require to request for permission in order to access restricted features.

As reported in Android Police,the apps will require permission before they access certain protected features. Google has directed its partners in its Compatibility Definition document making it mandatory for every app to use a dialogue box to seek permission. Furthermore, OEMs will be unable to offer runtime permissions to pre-installed apps. All these permissions will also appear in the Settings app for the user to view and tweak later.

Several smartphone manufacturers pack in a number of pre-installed apps on their smart phones. Besides, users are unable to uninstall or delete the bloat ware from their device. While these third-party manufacturers can continue to have pre-installed apps on their devices, users will decide which apps will continue to stay on their devices.

OEMs also have to fully encrypt the disks by default on the Marshmallow devices, besides having to mandatory include the Doze mode.

Here are some excerpts from the Marshmallow Compatibility Definition Document are below:

"For device implementations supporting full-disk encryption and with Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) crypto performance above 50MiB/sec, the full-disk encryption MUST be enabled by default at the time the user has completed the out-of-box setup experience."

"All apps exempted from App Standby and/or Doze mode MUST be made visible to the end user. Further, the triggering, maintenance, wakeup algorithms and the use of Global system settings of these power-saving modes MUST not deviate from the Android Open Source Project."